Nov 12, 2012

Skyline Chili

So, apparently, there is this chain of chili take-out restaurants based in Ohio called Skyline Chili. I've never visited one nor tried their product. But there seems to be some kind of deep love bordering on obsession for those chili aficionados who feel that their chili is the best chili out there. Again...I've got no opinion on that. Having never had it.

But I had a a "copy cat" recipe (see examples here or here) for Skyline chili passed on to me over the weekend, and I decided to give it a try. It's a meat-heavy based chili. Not a lot in there in terms of vegetables, so it's very different from my own chili recipe. But it's a real interesting chili. I think that it can be used more as a sauce or a topping, but it tasted pretty damned good in the bowl itself as well. It's also a really easy recipe that is requires very little prep work, and it cooks up much faster than other chili's I've made in the past. So here goes:

Copycat Skyline Chili

Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground beef - I used 93/7

1 large yellow onion - diced

2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce - I used Hunts

1 cup beef broth

2 cloves garlic - crushed and diced fine

3 tbsp chili powder

1 pinch (about 1/2 tsp) cinnamon powder

1 pinch red cayenne pepper powder

Salt and pepper to taste - you won't need much salt

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp white vinegar

- Add the ground beef and diced onion to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the meat is browned. Drain off excess liquid and add the brown mixture to a stock pot.

- Add the rest of the ingredients (tomato sauce, broth, garlic, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, Worcestershire and vinegar) and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat to low and saute uncovered for an hour and a half.

That's it. Easy peasy you know the drill. It really couldn't be easier. We served it over some rice with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese, tortilla chips and some home-made guacamole. The cinnamon, vinegar and Worcestershire lent it a truly unique flavor. I've never tasted a chili that tasted quite like this.

I don't think it quite surpassed my own personal chili recipe, but it was damned tasty. And Gia loved it, and that's what matters the most.

How funny that I happened to stop by here today. Skyline is pretty awesome, but even though it's huge here (where it started), I'm not as crazy about it as other people. When Gilda was much younger, it was the only way we could get her to eat meat. To this day, she can chow down on some Skyline. Also, you're supposed to eat it over spaghetti noodles with a lot of shredded cheddar on top. Onions and beans make it a 4 Way (the regular version is a 3 Way). I'll have to send you some Skyline. Email me your address!

Cincinnati chili is served over spaghetti noodles (2-way), add a mound of shredded mild cheddar (3-way), with onions under the cheese (4-way), and with red beans & onions under the cheese (5-way). Served with oyster crackers to sop up any extra liquid and hot sauce.